Choosing the right shower for your home
Having a shower, whether first thing in the morning or late at night should be a refreshing and rejuvenating experience – if you’re feeling frustrated with your showering experience, it could be time to invest in a new one completely.
While we may all want a fancy shower head that rains powerful jets of water at the perfect temperature during every showering experience, in reality this is unlikely with the harsh aspects of icy trickles or spots of scalding water when a toilet is flushed or tap is run.
For many choosing the right shower may seem a simple feat, however gone are the days of the standard functional shower and water system, meaning that choosing the right combination can often be anything but easy, particularly as it can often be down to the type of water system that your household runs and how big your house and bathroom is.
At PlumbingForLess, our aim is to make sure your entire bathroom needs are fulfilled and with our handy guide to choosing the right shower for your water system, we aim to make those decisions a little easier.
Water system
Most UK homes have a traditional hot water system which is divided into three parts; a boiler, a hot cylinder and cold water storage tank and radiators. These elements all work in cooperation with one another to produce a balanced showering experience. However recent advances in technology which have extended to plumbing also mean that systems now exist that do not require hot or cold water to be stored in order to be distributed when showers are required on demand.
With this in mind it is important to consider what type of water system you own, or require to produce the showering results that you want, as this will almost certainly affect the kind of shower that you can install in your bathroom or en suite.
There are four types of system which are referred to as low pressure gravity systems, combination boilers and unvented systems– which one have you got?
Low Pressure Gravity system
Found in most domestic households this system consists of a hot water cylinder (in the airing cupboard) and cold water tank (in the loft).
The water in the cylinder is heated by a boiler and fed through to taps and showers, while this happens water from the cold tank replaces the water in the cylinder.
The cold water tank is then re-filled up via the mains water supply – for this to work the pressure from all water sources needs to be balanced.
Shower types suitable for fitting with this water system are the Mira Mixer showers and Electric showers.
Combination boiler
This system heats water as soon as a shower or hot tap is turned on, via the cold mains supply and can be located anywhere in the home.
Fed directly from the mains, it doesn’t require a hot water cylinder or cold water tank and is generally used for central heating.
If you own a small house or flat, it is likely you will have a combination water system as there is unlikely to be a great demand for hot water.
For a powerful and efficient showering experience we would recommend one of Mira digital or Mira mixer showers. However if you’re fitting in an en-suite, an electric shower would be ideal for a more gentle flow.
Unvented
Main pressure water is stored in a large strengthened hot water tank which is found more commonly in the airing cupboard.
Cold water, taken directly from the mains is heated by an in-built coil operated through electrics.
A cold water tank is not required and as everything is under pressure of main water flow rates are often improved meaning a pump is usually not required.
Recommended shower types to work in combination with this water system include Mira’s digital or mixer showers.
Our range of Mira Showers at PlumbingForLess with additional accessories is designed to revolutionise your shower experience when paired with the right type of shower.
For a more comprehensive guide to our Mira showers range and how they are applicable for your water system. Our specialists are also on hand to discuss your requirements, questions and what showers are likely to fulfil your needs.
Image sources: Mira Showers online
